


Rings that were Too Small for Fingers

by DoctorTrekLock



Series: Resolution19 [25]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Background Gwen/Lancelot - Freeform, Gwen and Lance got married, M/M, Merlin is Court Sorcerer, Merthur - Freeform, Pretty sure most ppl don't get Accidentally Married like this, although really, everything is lovely, it's probably a Once and Future King thing lbr, setting is a happy au world, soulbond, the Druids made them do it, they could just be scandalized friends, where Arthur is King, who happened to be accidentally married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 13:56:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19133416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorTrekLock/pseuds/DoctorTrekLock
Summary: "Arthur," Merlin started slowly. "Do you remember Midsummer's?"





	Rings that were Too Small for Fingers

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Accidental Marriage  
> Source: Me. Because prompts don't have to be external.  
> Title: "Hector the Collector" by Shel Silverstein
> 
> Originally posted June 7, 2019 as a bonus Resolution19 on [Tumblr](https://doctortreklock.tumblr.com/post/185442894437/rings-that-were-too-small-for-fingers-june-7)

"Arthur," Merlin started slowly. "Do you remember Midsummer's?"

Arthur looked at him like he was a particularly slow idiot. "Yes, Merlin," he drawled. "I remember. It was only, what, two months ago?"

"Right," Merlin said. He kept his eyes on the scroll he had unrolled in his lap. "This would be the Midsummer's right after you found out about my magic, spared my life, became king, made magic legal again, and gave me a title?" He chanced a peek at Arthur across the desk, but the king just looked confused.

"Of course. What's this about, Merlin?" He abandoned his court documents and focused on his manservant-turned-court-sorcerer. "Did you find something?"

Merlin winced. "Sort of."

About two weeks ago, the pair had been waylaid on their way back from a spot inspection at one of Camelot's outposts. This wouldn't normally fall within the king's purview, but Arthur had confided to Merlin that sometimes he just needed to get _out_ of the castle. The outpost was a day's ride from the castle, but the journey was safely within Camelot's borders, so Arthur had managed to convince the rest of the Round Table to stay home. "Besides," he'd assured them. "If Merlin's too rubbish of a Court Sorcerer to keep me alive, I'll throw him in the stocks and hand out cabbages."

The waylaying hadn't ended up being a _waylaying_ so much as an inconvenient rest stop. An elderly woman had hurried out into their path as soon as she had seen them and had insisted they join her for tea. It had been a hot, humid September day, so Merlin had accepted and Arthur had grudgingly agreed. It turned out her ulterior motive had been to press her granddaughter on Arthur as a bride. (Ever since he and Gwen had split up just before the wedding so Gwen could marry Lancelot, it seemed everyone in Camelot had noticed his "eligible bachelor" status.)

Before Arthur could demur and Merlin could make excuses on his behalf, she had stared at Arthur for a moment before frowning and looking at Merlin. Then she had sat back in her chair. "Why, I'm sorry," she had said. "I hadn't heard the news, else I wouldn't have said a thing. Congratulations, your Majesty, on your marriage." When Arthur had protested, she had patted him on the arm. "Don't worry about it, your Majesty. I won't tell a soul." She tapped the side of her nose knowingly. "I can see auras, you know, and the pair of you are as bound as you are well matched."

They had hastily made their excuses and left shortly after that.

Arthur had bounced between denying, questioning, and ignoring the woman's pronouncement the entire way home. Merlin had been echo chamber, sounding board, and distraction, respectively. Arthur’s final instruction upon reaching the castle had been "Don’t breathe a word of this, Merlin. And figure it out."

So here they were. Merlin had been digging though Geoffrey’s library and Gaius’s tomes, as well as the stacks of scrolls, pamphlets, and books that seemed to turn up whenever the Court Sorcerer turned around.

Nothing, until this. A scroll Merlin hadn’t looked at before, but recognized as one of a stack he’d been given at Midsummer’s, pressed into his hands by one of the Druids with a knowing smirk. Merlin hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now...

He looked down at the scroll and read aloud: "For the binding - spelt with a 'y' if that tells you anything - of two souls in a bond tighter than marriage and stronger than death."

He chanced a glance up at Arthur, but the tension on the king's face made him quickly look down again.

"You must, afor a year’s passing, join in ritual. Secrets must be shared, trust extended, life spared, crown bestowed, heart changed, loyalty sworn, favor offered, and honor given. Then you must celebrate your union by joining in dance under the clear Midsummer’s sky." Merlin cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the paper. "Only then will your souls be as entwined as your hearts and bodies. May Gaia and the magic of the earth witness this binding, which shall last beyond death, beyond the stars, and, yea, beyond time itself."

The room was silent following Merlin’s pronouncement. He lowered the scroll and looked at Arthur.

Arthur got up slowly from his chair and walked around to stand in front of his desk and lean back against its sturdy surface. He stared at Merlin. "That's a very specific list."

"Yes, it is," Merlin agreed lightly. "Very specific. Almost tailor-made to these circumstances, don't you think? I mean, how many people are going to attempt this and then have the 'life spared' and 'heart changed' things going on? I mean, really," he added to the scroll in his lap.

"You told me you had magic," Arthur said evenly, thinking things through as he began to pace slowly in front of his desk.

"Yes," Merlin admitted easily, watching him.

"And then I didn't kill you for it."

"Yep."

"And then I was crowned."

"By me, as a stand-in for the traditional Priestess of the Old Religion since Nimueh is dead, yes."

"And I gave you a title."

"Then I swore fealty. It was quite the honor."

"And I decided magic wasn't that bad."

"Probably happened before that, but yeah."

"And I legalized magic."

"Quite the favor, I must admit."

"And then the Druids invited us to Midsummer's."

"As thanks for not killing them anymore."

"And we danced."

"There was quite a lot of alcohol involved, to be honest."

"And now we're married."

"Looks like it."

Arthur paused. "We're _married_."

"According to the Druids. And since you signed that proclamation last spring, all Druidic marriages are considered legal under the common law of Camelot," Merlin pointed out helpfully.

Arthur leaned back on his desk again, bracing his hands on the edge. He spoke slowly, as if double-checking the veracity of his conclusion. "So, because I didn’t set you on fire for being a lying idiot, we’re now married for the rest of eternity?"

"That about sums it up," Merlin said weakly.

Arthur sighed heavily. "Why do I feel like this is entirely your fault, _Mer_ lin."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Pieces out of Puzzle Pictures](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21868402) by [DoctorTrekLock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorTrekLock/pseuds/DoctorTrekLock)




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